The news: YouTube announced a new ad format for livestreams that will display side-by-side mid-roll ads for eligible web and connected TV broadcasts.

• Ads will appear alongside livestreams on the user’s video player and will mute livestream audio while the ad plays. The audio will resume after the ad break or if users skip the ad.
• The ads will be made available to all eligible livestreams broadcast in normal latency. Creators will need to enable the ads through the “Let YouTube Decide” mid-roll setting.

The change aims to incentivize creators to go live by providing another monetization option and entice advertisers to tap into livestreams as a growing opportunity.

The livestream opportunity: Livestreams are increasingly viewed as a way for creators and advertisers to reach engaged viewers at key moments—and not without reason.